Chapter 197 – Can You Take Me to the Sea?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ace looked down at the girl who had suddenly crashed into his arms—his heartbeat quickened instantly.
The delicate face, the large, bright eyes, and especially the curved horns on her head—she was adorable beyond reason. Every detail of her face seemed to perfectly fit Ace's sense of beauty.
"Um… are you okay?" Ace asked with concern as he gently set her down.
"I'm fine, thank you." Yamato stood up, wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth, then quickly positioned herself in front of Ace, shielding him. Her expression turned serious. "It's dangerous here. Please, get out of here quickly."
"That voice…" Ace thought, feeling his heart beat even faster. The slightly husky, neutral tone made her sound effortlessly charming.
Of course, Ace recognized the woman in front of him. He'd heard of Yamato, the daughter of Kaido of the Beasts. But seeing her in person was nothing like he'd imagined. Even knowing she was Kaido's daughter couldn't stop him from falling for her at first sight.
So this is love? Ace wondered, watching her back as wild thoughts flashed through his mind—marriage, children, a peaceful life together.
---
"Lord Yamato, please stop!"
Two figures appeared from the smoke—Ulti and Who's Who of the Tobiroppo.
When they finally saw Yamato's true face, both of them froze.
Yamato had always been raised as a "son" by Kaido, wearing a mask and loose ceremonial robes that concealed her identity. Even among the Beasts Pirates, very few knew she was actually a woman.
"Hey, Ulti… are my eyes playing tricks on me?" Who's Who asked uncertainly. "Lord Yamato looks like… a woman?"
"You're not seeing things," Ulti replied sharply. "If that's really Lord Yamato, then yes—she's a girl."
"I didn't expect that at all… Master Yamato's a girl? That's wild!" Who's Who exclaimed. After hesitating for a moment, he sheathed his blade. "If that's the case, then I can't fight her. I mean—she's not Lord Yamato anymore, she's Princess Yamato!"
"Ulti, she's all yours," he added quickly, patting her shoulder. "You're both girls, so—"
"Idiot! Are you looking down on women?!" Ulti roared, eyes blazing.
"I'm just saying I'm out of this," Who's Who said, waving his hand dismissively as he turned away.
"You moron, look carefully!" Ulti hissed, stopping him. "Didn't you notice the person standing behind her?"
"Behind… her?" Who's Who turned back—and then froze. His pupils shrank the moment he saw the man Yamato had been shielding.
"No way…" he muttered.
"You're not mistaken," Ulti said gravely. "That's him."
Who's Who's expression hardened. He drew his blade once more and stepped forward beside Ulti.
"Lord Yamato, move away from that man," he said, his tone low and tense. "I don't know why he's here, but he's no friend of the Beasts Pirates."
Then, raising his voice, he shouted:
"[Fire Emperor] Portgas D. Ace!"
Even in Wano, the name carried terrifying weight.
Both Tobiroppo knew very well the difference in strength between themselves and the man before them. They might have earned their positions as "Flying Six," but Ace had fought wars against Emperors. He stood at the very peak of the seas—a pirate whose power rivaled even that of their captain, Kaido.
Even if he was still young compared to the veteran Emperors, no one could deny that after the great war, Ace stood on the same level as them. And behind him was the Whitebeard Pirates, with the man called The Strongest in the World.
---
"Eh?!"
Hearing Who's Who's words, Yamato turned around in shock. Her wide, curious eyes studied Ace up and down before lighting up with recognition.
"You're really him! The son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!" she exclaimed.
"My name is Yamato… no, I'm Kozuki Oden!" she declared proudly. "Take me with you! Please let me join your crew and sail to the sea!"
Before Ace could respond, Yamato had already grabbed his arm tightly, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Of course…!" Ace stammered, his face turning red. "Of course you can."
"Really?!" Yamato's eyes sparkled with joy. She threw her arms around him in a tight bear hug. "That's amazing! I can finally go out to sea!"
"Kozuki Oden once sailed with the Pirate King," she continued, grinning. "You're the Pirate King's son, and I'm Oden's successor! We'll definitely get along perfectly!"
"Y-Yeah," Ace said weakly, still lost in her embrace. "We'll definitely… get along."
---
Suddenly, Yamato gasped, releasing him. "Wait! My son, Kozuki Momonosuke, is about to be executed! Can you help me save him?"
"Save… that brat?" Ace blinked, glancing toward the Flower Capital. He placed his hands firmly on Yamato's shoulders.
"We'll talk about that later," he said seriously. "A troublesome guy is heading this way. We need to move—now."
Before Yamato could respond, Ace wrapped his arm around her waist, his body turning to flames.
In an instant, the two shot into the sky like a streak of fire.
---
"W-What just happened?" Who's Who stammered, staring at the fading trail of flames. "And what's with Yamato calling herself Kozuki Oden II?!"
Ulti clenched her fists. "Forget it! We have to report this to Lord Kaido immediately! The fact that Fire Emperor Ace is in Wano—this is a big deal!"
Before they could move, a massive shadow passed over them.
A huge, winged figure descended from the clouds—the Beasts Pirates' All-Star, King the Wildfire, user of the Ancient Zoan: Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model Pteranodon.
"Ulti! Who's Who!" King's harsh voice thundered. "You just let Master Yamato get taken away right in front of you?! Useless fools!"
"Lord King!" Ulti yelled. "It's not what you think! That man was—"
"I know exactly who it was," King interrupted coldly, spreading his wings. "You two report to Lord Kaido immediately. I'll pursue Yamato and that man myself."
With a single powerful flap, King shot into the sky, flames trailing behind him as he chased after the fiery streak that had carried Ace and Yamato away.
---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics